EQing headphones connected to an audio interface

[eriq]

Hello,
I'm trying to EQ my AKG headphones which I connect to my Focusrite Scarlett. Im using the interface to play guitar and I'm using ToneX as my amp sim. I wan't to EQ so I have a good base reference for dialing in a tone in ToneX and using IR's. But my headphones have like a 10db increase across 20-400hz and a very unstable treble response so all my tones sound really boomy and sometimes really harsh. Most things don't really work because the interface uses ASIO drivers. How can I EQ my headphones or is there literally no way to do so?

 

[staticV3]

Hi @eriq! Welcome to ASR.

In case your workflow supports VST or AU plugins, you can use MathAudio Headphone EQ to EQ your headphones: https://mathaudio.com/download.htm

You'd have to buy a license though.

 

[tccalvin]

When all else fails, you can just run your DAW’s EQ plugin as the last insert in the master track and make adjustments there. Not sure whether minimum phase or linear phase is preferable when EQing headphones though (I don’t use corrective EQ). Others will be able to tell you.

EDIT: Typos.

 

[eriq]

Hi @eriq! Welcome to ASR.

In case your workflow supports VST or AU plugins, you can use MathAudio Headphone EQ to EQ your headphones: https://mathaudio.com/download.htm

You'd have to buy a license though.

Headphone EQ looks quite interesting, however for 60$ license I'd rather wait a little and spend some money on mid to upper mid range headphones. Thanks though I'll keep it in mind.

 

[eriq]

When all else fails, you can just run your DAW’s EQ plugin as the last insert in the master track and make adjustments there. Not sure whether minimum phase or linear phase is preferable when EQing headphones though (I don’t use corrective EQ). Others will be able to tell you.

EDIT: Typos.

Yes that's one thing I considered myself. I often play through the standalone version of ToneX and don't load the VST into a DAW so I would preferably like to jam and practice with my headphones EQed as well so I can really hear what I'm playing is correct. Preferably I would EQ my headphones in the interface just like you would a normal headphone connected to your PC with something like EqualizerAPO but it seems that's just not possible with ASIO drivers. I will definitely use your approach when I mix in Ableton though since it seems that's the only solution unfortunately.

 

[LGD_]

Hi @eriq! Welcome to ASR.

In case your workflow supports VST or AU plugins, you can use MathAudio Headphone EQ to EQ your headphones: https://mathaudio.com/download.htm

You'd have to buy a license though.

If you use Foobar2000, Mathaudio Headphone EQ is free.
But a better solution (with Foobar) is to use their DSP convolver and load correction files for your specific headphone - found here:

AutoEq

Automatic headphone equalization

autoeq.app

He has measured almost every headphone, find yours there, and use his corrections files.
There are correction files for Convolvers, and also settings for regular equalizers.

 

[tccalvin]

Yes that's one thing I considered myself. I often play through the standalone version of ToneX and don't load the VST into a DAW so I would preferably like to jam and practice with my headphones EQed as well so I can really hear what I'm playing is correct. Preferably I would EQ my headphones in the interface just like you would a normal headphone connected to your PC with something like EqualizerAPO but it seems that's just not possible with ASIO drivers. I will definitely use your approach when I mix in Ableton though since it seems that's the only solution unfortunately.

I was thinking "it's weird that a software like ToneX doesn't offer a post-EQ function..."

And lo and behold, it does have one!

(Found on Google Images)